Currently browsing all entries in the Weight Loss Tools category
The Walking Program Docs
Here are the downloadable documents for The Walking Program. Each level contains a weekly guide and checklist in either Word or PDF format.
Beginner Program
Beginner Program
Intermediate Program
Intermediate Program
Advanced Program
Advanced Program
Use the program to get your steps in for the Walk Baby Walk challenge. We are starting small with a goal of 775 steps per day next week. Keep in mind, while there is a daily goal, we are going to tally it weekly and find your daily average. This way, if you are stuck in a meeting or studying all day, you didn't "fail", so long as by the end of the week, you averaged 775 steps per day, you did good.
BMR Calculator
Now that we defined BMR, let's see how we can use it to our advantage when it comes to losing weight.
Like figuring out your body fat, you can calculate your BMR in a variety of ways, use an online calculator to input your current weight, height and age or have it officially measured at a nutrition center. From what I've heard, the online calculator though it takes a generic approach, is fairly accurate, so that's what I used.
Plugging in my stats, I get the following figures:
My BMR is 1658
Now to determine my daily caloric needs I use the Harris Benedict Formula which multiplies my BMR by the appropriate activity factor:
- Sedentary (little or no exercise) = BMR x 1.2
- Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) = BMR x 1.375
- Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) = BMR x 1.55
- Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) = BMR x 1.725
- Extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) = BMR x 1.9
Now here is something else I recently learned, though I exercise quite a bit, if your job is one where you sit in a chair for about 8 hours a day and you drive 1-2 hours and when you get home spend most of the evening in bed, at computer desk or watching TV, you are considered sedentary. When I worked retail, I could call myself moderately active, as I spent 8 hours on my feet, walking up and down the store and hauling clothes and an hour a day walking to and from work.
An hour or so of exercise a few days a week does not make you an active person. But that's my theory. You can figure yourself accordingly if you feel active based on what you do.
Back to me 
Sedentary (little or no exercise) = BMR x 1.2
1658 x 1.2 ='s a daily caloric needs of 1990 to maintain my current weight.
There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, by creating a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, I'll lose one pound of body weight. (On average 75% of this is fat, 25% lean tissue) If I create a 7000 calorie deficit I will lose two pounds. The calorie deficit can be achieved either by calorie-restriction alone, or by a combination of fewer calories in (diet) and more calories out (exercise). This combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss. Sustained weight loss is difficult or impossible without increased regular exercise.
If I want to lose fat, a useful guideline is to lower my calorie intake by at least 500, but not more than 1000 below maintenance level. For people with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 calories will be too much of a deficit. Minimum calorie intake should never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 calories per day for men. Even these calorie levels are low.
Without factoring in exercise 1990 - 500 = 1490 daily calories to net me a 1lb loss. Here's where the numbers get tricky, say your daily caloric deficit fluctuates between 250-500, again not factoring in exercise, your deficit for 7 days will look like this:
M -200, T -175, W -500, Th -500, F -250, S -400 S -350
For a grand total of 2375 calories a .7lb loss (2375 / 3500), which may not even show up on the scale. Let's go a few more days into the following week shall we?
M -350, T -280, W -500
Well what do we have here? A 3505 deficit and your 1lb loss will show up, not on the 7th day, as is widely touted, but on the 9th day. Unless you are regimented and know your stats to a tee, I suspect most of us lose weight over a period of 7-11 days.
Back to me
Let's fast forward a few weeks, your resident fat fighter has shed 10lbs, hey it's not impossible, last time I blurted my stats on this site I was 196, today I'm 192 thankyouverymuch…waitaminute…::rubs eyes::…I. Lost. Weight. Boo-Yah!
At 186, my BMR is now 1615. Granted it's not a huge drop from 1658, but just enough to see at a lesser weight, I need less calories, 1938, to maintain my weight. If I continue to consume the same calories as I did before that netted my loss, 1490, I'll either stall or gain a bit.
To remedy that, I can do a few things, cut my calories down even more to 1438 (1615x1.2 = 1938-500 = 1438), but I'll eventually stall out at 1200, besides who really wants to eat less food? Or I can *gasp* work out, harder.
Say during 194-184lbs I walked on the treadmill at 3mph, from 184-174lbs I will need to mix it up, either start running at that same speed, or increase the incline to 1-2%. The time can stay the same, even the speed can stay the same, but the intensity must change.
Keep in mind, this is all very bare bones. I didn't talk about carb bloating, or dehydration or lifting weights or muscle mass or fluctuations or a host of other things that can make it frustrating.
If you just look at it in a 1 + 1 = 2 approach:
- Figure out your BMR
- Multiply it by your current activity level (be honest)
- Minus 250-500 calories
- Eat the reduced amount of calories and however long you guesstimate you've burned 3500, you'll net your 1lb loss. Speed things up by doing some physical activity, but try to keep it realistic by losing no more than 2lbs per weigh in.
- Every 10-15lbs, spot check your BMR again, especially if you feel a plateau kicking in, and revise your calories.
I know it's a lot of info to absorb, I tried to make it as simple as possible, but if you have any questions or even objections, definitely post them, it helps me see if my theories make sense.
Body Fat Calculator
There are three main ways to calculate your body fat. Using a home body fat scale, skinfold calipers or hydrostatic weighing. Each method has it's pros and cons.
Body Fat Scales
How they works:
Body fat scales use bioelectrical impedance to measure your body fat percentage. A low-level electrical current is passed through your body and the "impedance", or opposition to the flow of the electrical current, is measured.
Pros:
- They measure body fat quickly and conveniently
- They are easy to use and have at home
Cons:
- Impedance levels can be altered by many factors besides body fat. Factors such as the amount of water in your body, your skin temperature and any recent physical activity can adversely affect the results
- Studies have shown variances as high as 8 percent when using the bioelectrical impedance
Callipers
How they works:
You take pinches of your skin at three points on your body and calculate the fat percentage from those readings.
Pros:
- Most studies have shown that they are very accurate
- They are affordable, simple to use and have at home
Cons:
- Difficult to do it on your own body. You may need professional assistance
Hydrostatic Weighing
How it works:
The examiner first calculates your body density by measuring the amount of water you displace when you immerse yourself in water. Then a formula is used to calculate body fat based on your body density.
Pros:
- The most accurate way to calculate body fat
Cons:
- Expensive
- Inconvenient
- Time consuming, cumbersome, complicated and difficult to find
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As I told Mel the other day, I use this bad boy, Omron HBF-306 Body Fat Analyzer:
The best part is that you get both BMI and body fat readings. It also stores your stats.
Last check, my body fat was 38.2, which puts me in the Obese category. Using the formula from yesterday, weighing in at 194 with 38% body fat, let's see what a reasonable weight loss goal for this fat fighter "should" be shall we?
I'm a 194lb woman with 38% body fat. My blanket goal is to lose 60lbs.
My initial body fat is: 73lbs (194lbs x 0.38) [holy shyte!]
My lean body mass is: 121lbs (194lbs total weight - 73lbs of fat)
My goal to lose 60lbs puts me at 134lbs, which may not be realistic.
At 134lbs, I'd have 121lbs of lean body mass and would only be carrying 9lbs or aprox 10-13% body fat. From yesterdays chart, unless I'm an Olympic athlete in training, this is a very low percentage.
A better goal might be to initially reduce my body fat from 38% to 30%:
194lbs x 0.30 = 58lbs of body fat
121lbs of lean body mass + 58lbs = 179lbs goal weight
To achieve this "acceptable" range of 30%, I'd need to lose only 15lbs of fat (73lbs body fat - 58lbs body fat = 15lbs), reducing my scale weight from a current 194lbs to 179lbs. Then, based on how I look and feel at that point, I can shoot for a lower body fat percentage, say going from 30% to 25% or losing 14lbs to weigh in at 165lbs.
3 months from this week, we shall check revisit our goals.
That shall be my first goal weight: 179lbs, 30% body fat. What's yours?
Body Fat Guidelines
As we found out yesterday, a certain amount of fat is essential to bodily functions. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions and insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of the body's energy storage.
From the American Council on Exercise, the following table describes body fat ranges and their associated categories:
Men
Essential Fat 2-4%
Athletes 6-13%
Fitness 14-17%
Acceptable 18-25%
Obese 25% plus
Women
Essential Fat 10-12%
Athletes 14-20%
Fitness 21-24%
Acceptable 25-31% (stop it with the washboard abs ladies, tummy fat helps us birth those babies)
Obese 32% plus
Knowing your body fat percentage can also help you determine if your weight loss goals are realistic. Remember, weight loss doesn't always mean fat loss. For example:
Let's say you're a 150lb woman with 32% body fat, and your goal is to lose 30 pounds.
Your initial body fat is: 48lbs (150lbs x 0.32)
Your lean body mass is: 102lbs (150lbs total weight - 48lbs of fat)
Your goal to lose 30lbs puts you at 120lbs.
But, the goal of losing 30lbs may not be realistic.
At 120lbs, you'd have 102lbs of lean body mass, but would only be carrying 18lbs or only 15% body fat. From the chart above, unless you're an Olympic athlete in training, this is a very low percentage for the average woman.
A better goal might be to reduce your body fat from 32% to 26%:
150lbs x 0.26 = 39lbs of body fat
102lbs of lean body mass + 39lbs = 141lbs goal weight
To achieve an "acceptable" range of 26%, you'd need to lose only 9 pounds of fat (48lbs body fat - 39lbs body fat = 9lbs), reducing your scale weight from a current 150 pounds to 141 pounds. Then, based on how you look and feel at that point, you can shoot for a lower body fat percentage, say going from 26% to 22% or losing 8lbs to weigh in at 133.
Keep in mind, the lower your body fat goes, you also reduce your overall lean body mass (usually metabolically-active muscle tissue), which isn't good for the long term. I can break this down section later, but here's a summary: use one part of the year to lose weight and use another part of the year to build muscle, you can't do both at the same time. By including weight lifting while your shed the fat, the most you can do is maintain your current lean mass as best you could. That's another topic for another post.
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Back to the body fat goals, does that all make sense?
For years, I had a hard goal of weighing 130lbs. Period. Why? I used to weigh that at some point in my life. But after I learned how body fat worked, I revised my goal and now my range is 135-145lb. Even if I end up in the 150's, by shedding enough excess fat, I can still shimmy into jeans I wore at 130
Before you decide that you need to "lose weight", consider that "weight" also consists of both lean body mass and body fat. Keep your weight loss goals realistic, and remember, keep the calorie-burning muscle (do your weights), and lose only the fat (do that cardio!)
Tomorrow we'll look at body fat calculators and feel free to share yours. Calculator that is
In the mean time, ponder your current "weight loss" goal and see if what you have in mind, matches up with guideline and if you really need to lose as much as you think.
BMI Charts
Yesterday we defined what BMI is and why it's an important measurement of overall health. Today, let's calculate our BMI, look at what each numeric range means and gawk at Renee as she *gasp* shares her BMI with the world 
You can calculate your BMI here.
If your BMI is below 18.5:
This indicates a lean BMI, indicating low body fat. In certain circumstances this can be desirable (e.g. an athlete). However, a low BMI can indicate that your weight may be too low which may lower your immunity to disease. If your BMI and body weight are low, you should consider gaining increased muscle mass through a healthy diet and exercise program.
If your BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9:
A BMI in this range indicates a healthy level of body fat. A BMI percentage in this range is associated with longevity, and a low incidence of serious illness. Studies have shown that this is the level that most people find aesthetically pleasing.
If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9:
A BMI in this range is considered to be overweight, and having an increased risk of associated disease. Ideally if you are in this range you should find ways to lower your weight. Start by changing to a healthy diet and undertake an exercise program.
If your BMI is between 30 and 39:
We have now reached the obesity range. It is essential that a lifestyle change is undertaken. A change to a healthy diet and regular exercise is essential. Why not check out Exercise At Home for a few exercises to try. If an individual is in this range and has a waist size greater than or equal to 40 in. (men) or 35 in. (women) then there is a very high associated risk of disease.
If your BMI is over 40:
This indicates an individual suffering from extreme obesity, and is in a very unhealthy condition. The excess body fat will put the individual at risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease and some cancers. It is definitely time to change to a healthy diet and undertake a fitness program.
My Results : Your BMI is 33.6, indicating your weight is in the obese category for adults of your height. (I'm 5' 5"/196lbs)
My waist size is: 34"
Based on those two stats, I am at a higher risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. 
At a minimum, anyone who is obese should try to avoid gaining additional weight. In addition, anyone who is obese should try to lose weight. Even a small weight loss (just 10% of your current weight) may help lower the risk of disease.
I will follow this up in 3 months, on 11/3, to see if it improved. Those doing the big F.A.T. challenge, follow along. If you are brave enough post your BMI/Waist size and check back in 12 weeks, I'll hound you offline to remind you
Next week, we'll continue to look at other tools and charts to pay attention vs. the oh so popluar pound/kilo & scale.
